Last winter, you may have taken time off the bike for any number of reasons: bad weather, an injury, extra work, pregnancy or simply a need to take a break. As a professional, I found a rest was always in order at the end of the season. My 7-Eleven teammates and I would normally take four to six weeks off with easy cross-training in the fall. Interestingly, whenever one of our riders crashed or got sick during the season and was forced to ease off his training, he'd invariably come back stronger than ever.

When my teammate Davis Phinney crashed into the back window of a team car in the 1988 Liege-Bastogne-Liege Classic, he could have gone back to the States and recovered in the comfort of his home. Instead, he immediately got back on his bike (on a trainer for the first few weeks), even with oozing stitches and a swollen face. Within a month he was racing again. His comeback is a testament to what a positive outlook and a progressive plan can do.

It's time to build a program that will get you back to or even beyond the form you had the last time you were riding well. Follow this four-step process and you'll be there in no time.

THINK POSITIVE There will be moments of doubt as you start to test the upper limits of your threshold. But you have to believe that you will come back, despite any reservations or setbacks that may befall you.

PLAN TO KEEP IT REAL Write down your goals. For example, you may aim to do three one-hour rides per week during your first month back. Your plan will depend on your current fitness level and the workload you think you can maintain. The longer your time off, the more gradual your comeback must be. Build confidence by achieving success with small steps.

BE PATIENT It will take a few months to build your aerobic base back up. Be careful as you gradually increase the distance and intensity of your rides. It's tempting to test yourself on the local group ride or a hill that you've crushed in the past, so control your effort by using a heart-rate monitor. This is not the time to be pushing big gears: Stay in the small chain-ring and ride at a cadence of at least 90 rpm.

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